Corporate Membership

We have unrivalled international experience of protecting the interests of corporate members

‘Corporate’ or institutional entities in Australia, whether practice groups (large and small), health funds with ‘captive’ practices, universities and dental schools, specialist professional organisations or a wide variety of other types of organisation, can become members of the DPL and access the same benefits that individual dental members already enjoy.

Corporate entities can be left particularly vulnerable to claims and complaints based on actual or alleged vicarious liability for the acts and omissions of dentists and other staff. Frequently such claims are made after the employed dentist (or other healthcare professional) who provided the treatment has left the organisation. Sometimes this results in adverse media coverage for the organisation, which can be difficult to handle without damaging the image and reputation of the individual(s) concerned, or the organisation itself, or both.

Our Press Office has plenty of experience in dealing with media interest and is able to give advice and assistance with the aim of maintaining the reputation of practices and staff.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Medical Indemnity (Prudential Supervision and Product Standards) Act 2003 places no requirement on an individual healthcare professional to purchase the necessary additional cover to provide for situations where liability can arise from the actions of others. This can lead a plaintiff/claimant to turn the focus of their attention towards the corporate itself, a threat which corporate membership can address.

DPL has unrivalled international experience of protecting the interests of corporate members of all kinds and of all sizes from single practices up to major public hospitals and companies with 200 or more practices, employing hundreds of dentists and other staff.

A further benefit of corporate membership is the opportunity to involve DPL in reviewing and managing the risk profile and internal working systems and processes of a corporate organisation, in order to reduce the risk not only to the corporate, but also the dentists and other staff members. We have a wide international experience of working with organisations to develop a positive and constructive risk-aware organisational culture and to influence dental teams in embracing it.

Corporate members can also access DPL’s training resources to assist in the training and personal development not only of existing staff members, and for the induction of new members of the dental team.